Just For A Moment
by NocturneX
Summary: One-Shot: Ten-year-old Sephiroth secretly pretends on occasion, that he is part of a real family.


Just For A Moment

For half-an-hour every day, Sephiroth and his soldier mentor Wolff Gainsborough, had dinner in one of the Shinra building's many common rooms with the last two known living Ancients. Two years ago, the boy had gone behind Hojo's back and written a letter to the president of the company, asking if he could spend his free time visiting with the company's two biggest security secrets(next to himself, of course). Sephiroth had made extra sure to to suck up to the man as much as he could stomach, and had spun an elaborate lie on how he had first encountered them(by climbing through the vents when he should have been asleep).

President Shinra had indulged the boy and allowed him to visit openly with his new friends. Grateful for the company, Ifalna and her two-year-old daughter Aerith always looked forward to seeing the boy every day, and vice-versa. Even Wolff was received warmly by the mother and daughter, despite their status as involuntary test subjects for the Shinra science department. In other words, they were prisoners…hidden away from a world that was blissfully unaware of the cruel experiments conducted on the toddler and her mother.

Although he never made the mortifying mistake of addressing either adult as "Mom" or "Dad", a tiny part of Sephiroth, buried deep inside of his mind, wished he could. Ifalna knew that Wolff had morals and integrity, unlike most of the guards that kept her and Aerith from taking their leave. Wolff also hated the entire situation, even though he was bound by his job to enforce it. Ifalna understood, and was forgiving of the soldier. As a result, there was zero animosity between the two adults, and even a slight friendship…if there could be such a thing between a guard and a prisoner.

Aerith now had an interest in books. There were a few children's books in the common room for when employees' children came to visit them at work. The toddler would go and grab as many books as she could, and would often look at the pictures. The minute Sephiroth showed up, however, she would hand him a book and beg him to read to her. Even though Wolff had read to her a few times, and even did the voices of the characters(to Sephiroth's secret amusement), the little girl preferred Sephiroth's wooden, expressionless readings. She would climb into his lap and suck her thumb, dozing off while he read.

"Maybe she just wants to fall asleep easier," Sephiroth had said once, "It makes sense. I guess I just bore her so much."

"No," Ifalna had replied as she gathered her sleeping daughter in her arms, ready to take her back to their apartment under armed escort. "She wants to cuddle. Planet knows, she doesn't have many opportunities."

"Is that why she always clings to Wolff's leg?" Sephiroth asked.

The soldier chuckled. "Nah, she just wants a 'ride'. That kid's got quite the grip. Didn't anyone do that with you? You know, walk around while you grab on?"

Sephiroth furrowed his brow, wondering if Professor Gast had done anything like that. His mind was a complete blank, however.

Wolff would bring a newspaper for Ifalna, and the two would discuss current events…almost like a mother and father would on TV. Aerith would pester Sephiroth to read or bounce her on his knee(while yelling "Yah! Yah!" like a chocobo rider), much like a little sister. Wolff mentored him daily, much like a father did, while Ifalna would ask the boy about his day, and listen attentively…much like a mother. Then when dinner was done, both she and Aerith would hug him goodbye.

After dinner was study hour, where Sephiroth could let his food digest before doing another battery of tests or field exercises. The day would finally end at 10 p.m. and he was supposed to be in bed. However, he always read for another hour. His secret visits by climbing through the vents to Ifalna and Aerith had stopped. His reason was the possibility of being discovered and punished by not being allowed to see them anymore. The idea of not being able to see Ifalna and Aerith scared the boy. He knew that the time was coming where eventually, he would be sent off to battle. However, that was still a few years away, so for now, he simply enjoyed that one half-hour of refuge from his duties with his "family".

And in the end, dinnertime was the best time to pretend…if only for a few minutes every day.


End file.
